Bad Check: First Notice

How To Use

This is, in part, a sales letter. A bad check indicates someone living on the edge.

They made an effort to pay but just did not have the financial resources to make good on the payment. This undoubtedly means they are under pressure and squeezed in general. Your letter should encourage them to put you at the top of their list, ahead of other creditors, who may be pressing for payment as well.

Most insufficient fund checks are made good. Therefore, if you play your cards right, you can have the check writer both pay the amount to you and be grateful to you for your reasonableness. This is the card to play at this stage. If you do not get paid, then go to plan B, the Final Notice, threatening collection in Small Claims Court.

This review list is provided to inform you about this document in question and assist you in its preparation.

Sign the letter. If you know the signor individually, then you may want to jot down a brief note or call them to inform them of the problem. In this instance, you will know better how to proceed. If you don’t know them personally, a polite but firm letter usually works best.

The beauty of a letter is it provides the recipient a chance to save face by making good on the debt without having to confront you personally. This option is usually a good one for you with a flaky debtor who is up and down, but not a serious problem.

Keep the original in a separate file with a copy of the correspondence. If you must file for collection, this gets you ready and prepared in advance. Courts love paper; so collect and docket it.